Infections of the middle ear present an ongoing problem to both patients who suffer from them as well as to treating physicians who seek to treat them. To the patient, these infections represent acute pain, discomfort, financial cost and/or possible loss of hearing. To the treating physician, these infections present significant dilemmas. Since middle ear infections have been heretofore difficult to treat with medications, the treating physician had basically two therapeutic alternatives.
The primary care physician may either tap the middle ear or refer the patient to an ear, nose and throat specialist so that a tympanocentesis or insertion of tubes may be employed. In order to the tap the middle ear, the physician has utilized suction or conventional syringes which have several attendant disadvantages. Suction assemblies are often not available and are cumbersome to use. Conventional syringes have required the physician to actuate the syringe by pulling back on the plunger. Further, if the needle of the syringe is straight, as is usually the case, then the syringe interferes with the operator's line of vision. A common danger with pre-existing syringe needles is that there is no guard against the operator accidentally penetrating the tympanic membrane in such a way as to cause damage to the bony structures there within.
Therefore, there is a need for an aspirator with increased control that allows a clear line of sight with the tympanic membrane and includes safety features which prevents damage to the ear canal and middle ear structures.